''The Orchid'' is an Edwardian musical comedy in two acts with music by

Ivan Caryll Félix Marie Henri Tilkin (12 May 1861 – 29 November 1921), better known by his pen name Ivan Caryll, was a Belgian-born composer of operettas and Edwardian musical comedies in the English language, who made his career in London and later ...

and Lionel Monckton, a book by James T. Tanner, lyrics by

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries ...

and

Percy Greenbank Percy Greenbank (24 January 1878 – 9 December 1968) was an English lyricist and librettist, best known for his contribution of lyrics to a number of successful Edwardian musical comedies in the early years of the 20th century. His older brothe ...

, and additional numbers by Paul Rubens. The story concerns marital mix-ups and the quest of a wealthy man for a $2,000 Peruvian orchid to be sent to France. When foul play keeps the flower from reaching its destination, it is discovered that a nearly identical orchid is growing in the garden of the horticultural college. The musical opened on 26 October 1903 at London's Gaiety Theatre and ran for 559 performances. It starred

Gertie Millar Gertrude Ward, Countess of Dudley ( Millar; 21 February 1879 – 25 April 1952), known as Gertie Millar, was an English actress and singer of the early 20th century, known for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies. Beginning her care ...

Gabrielle Ray Gabrielle Ray (born Gabrielle Elizabeth Clifford Cook, 28 April 1883 – 21 May 1973), was an English stage actress, dancer and singer, best known for her roles in Edwardian musical comedies. Ray was considered one of the most beautiful actresse ...

, Harry Grattan,

Edmund Payne Edmund James "Teddy" Payne (14 December 1863 – 15 July 1914), was an English actor, comedian and singer best known for creating comic roles in a series of extremely successful Edwardian musical comedies. He was often paired with the comic ac ...

and

George Grossmith, Jr. George Grossmith Jr. (11 May 1874 – 6 June 1935) was an English actor, theatre producer and manager, director, playwright and songwriter, best remembered for his work in and with Edwardian musical comedies. Grossmith was also an important inn ...

The show also had a successful Broadway run, revivals and a U.S. tour. ''The Orchid'' was the first show produced at the renovated Gaiety Theatre.''The Orchid''
''

The Play Pictorial ''The Play Pictorial'' was an English theatrical magazine that was published in London between 1902 and 1939. ''The Play Pictorial'' provided pictorial records of West End theatrical productions. Each issue described a single show, with descrip ...

'', Vol. 4, No. XIX, pp. 1 ''et seq.'' (Part I) and No. XXII, pp. 82 ''et seq.'' (Part II)

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

and

Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of ...

both attended the opening night. Some of the show's most successful songs were "Liza Ann", "Little Mary", "Pushful" and "Fancy Dress".

Synopsis

Guy Scrymgeour is in love with Josephine Zaccary, but their union is opposed by his uncle, the rich and influential Mr. Chesterton, because she is the daughter of a mere orchid hunter. Meanwhile, a penniless young physician, Ronald Fausset, loves Lady Violet Anstruther. The two couples wed secretly, but the Registrar switches the names on the marriage certificates, so that Guy is joined to Lady Violet, and Ronald to Josephine. Chesterton founds a horticultural college and sends Zaccary (Josephine's father) to Peru to seek a special $2,000 orchid, the orchid of his dreams. Zaccary is supposed to take the flower to

Nice, France Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...

, for a competitive exhibition. However, Zaccary is unreliable and goes to Paris instead, in search of flowers of the human variety. Fortunately, it is discovered that Meakin, the gardener at the horticultural college, is growing a nearly identical orchid.

Roles and original cast

*Lady Violet Anstruther (principal pupil at the horticultural college) –

*Caroline Twining (of a matrimonial turn) –

Connie Ediss Connie Ediss (born Ada Harriet Whitley; 11 August 1870 – 18 April 1934) Gänzl, Kurt"The real Connie Ediss, or 'She was a Milliner's Daughter'" Kurt of Gerolstein, 6 November 2020 was an English actress and singer best known as a buxom, good-h ...

*Zelie Rumbert (an adventuress) – Hilda Jacobsen *Thisbe (private secretary to Mr. Chesterton) –

*Countess Anstruther (Violet's mother) – Phyllis Blair *Billy (Dr. Fausset's "Buttons") – Lydia West *Lady Warden (of the horticultural college) – Gertrude Aylward *Josephine Zaccary (pupil teacher at the horticultural college) – Ethel Sydney *The Hon. Guy Scrymgeour (Mr. Chesterton's nephew) –

*Dr. Ronald Fausset (a country practitioner) – Lionel Mackinder *Mr. Aubrey Chesterton (Minister of Commerce, and Guy's uncle) – Harry Grattan *Comte Raoul De Cassignat (of the Quai d'Orsay) – Robert Nainby *Zaccary (a professional orchid hunter) – Fred Wright, junr. *M. Frontenbras, M. Merignac (Comte Raoul's seconds) – George Gregory and Charles A. Brown *Registrar – Arthur Hatherton *Master Of Ceremonies – Will Bishop *M. D'auville (French minister of state) – H. Lewis *Meakin (gardener at the horticultural college) –

*Debutantes

Musical numbers

Act I – The Countess of Barwick's Horticultural College *No. 1. Chorus – "This high horticultural college is formed with the excellent plan" *No. 2. Thisbe & Chorus – "A statesman in the Cabinet wants plenty of assistance" *No. 3. Jo & Chorus – "If I could be a girl in high society, whose pedigree included a peer or two" *No. 4. Meakin & Chorus – "You amateurs who try to run a garden" *No. 5. Jo, Lady Violet, Guy, Ronald & Meakin – "For a stylish and up-to-date wedding" *No. 6. Débutantes – "Come! come! come! Come for confidential talks in the arbours and the walks" *No. 7. Chesterton & Chorus – "From the start of my existence I was noted for persistence" *No. 8. Lady Violet, Jo, Guy & Ronald – "Our marriage lines! our marriage lines! The magic in those simple signs" *No. 9. Caroline & Meakin – "The cuckoo is calling aloud to his mate, the turtle dove coos in its nest" *No. 10. Chorus – "Now the speechifying's done, and the prizes we have won have been given" *No. 11. Zaccary & Chorus – "I've travelled far where panthers are that jump on you and catch you!" *No. 12. Caroline & Chorus – "I was tired of living single, never putting up the banns" *No. 13. Finale Act I – "What a most romantic history! Solving all the recent mystery! Violet has played the run-away" Act II – Various locations in Nice: Black Massena, Promenade des Anglais, & Interior of the Opera House *No. 14. horus – "Up and down, over the town, motley and merriment speed along." *No. 14a. Pas de Trois *No. 15. Caroline & Chorus – "I've a passion for fancy dress, more or less!" *No. 16. Lady Violet & Chorus – "There's a certain little lady who's already known to fame as Little Mary" *No. 17. Guy & Meakin – "We're true British labourers honest and free, but, alas, we are both unemployed" *No. 18. Zaccary & Chorus – "I'm monarch of many a million, especially put in francs" *No. 19. Ronald & Jo – "I never was so thoroughly wretched and sad in all my life" *No. 20. Lady Violet & Zaccary – "There's a Yorkshire town, very bleak and brown, where your life is not too gay" *No. 21. Guy – "There's a charming little lady who's a patron of the play" *No. 22. Jo – "I've been waiting for some sort of sign that you want this little heart of mine" *No. 23. Chorus – "We are going to the Ball all in white" *No. 24. Thisbe – "There's a girl I want you all to know, Rose-a-Rubie is her name" *No. 25. Octet – "Oh dear! have you heard of it? There's a ball we ought to see" *No. 26. Chorus – Bal Blanc – "Carnival is nearly ended, now we drop our colours splendid" *No. 27. Jo & Guy, with Chorus – "When I go to a ball, although I'm the keenest of the dancers" *No. 28. Lady Violet & Chorus – "When I was extremely small, only three or four" *No. 29. Ronald – "There are lots of fellows in the world today, but ther're very few about like me" *No. 30. Finale Act II – "At the fancy, fancy ball, happiness has come to all"

References

External links

Vocal scoreInformation about the Broadway productionInformation about the show's US touring schedule
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orchid, The 1903 musicals West End musicals Original musicals British musicals